38 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol.. XXIV. No. 602. 



custom of holding a midsummer meeting, 

 and I do not know where that renewal, 

 somewhat experimental, of the old custom 

 could be inaugurated under more favorable 

 conditions than in this place. Where could 

 this association feel more at home than here 

 at this home of learning and of science? 

 It must, I think, be a satisfaction to the 

 members at Cornell University to be en- 

 abled to show to their fellow members in 

 this association the splendid opportunities 

 which exist and the evidences of the great 

 work done here, and it is equally a pleasure 

 and source of profit to us to enjoy this 

 privilege. "We know that this isone of the 

 great and leading universities of the coun- 

 try ; that when it was founded Cornell Uni- 

 versity was enabled to do a work that was 

 highly distinctive and significant and which 

 marked a great advance in higher educa- 

 tion in America, and that this position of 

 leadership it has never lost. It is a great 

 delight to come at this time of the year to 

 this charming town and enjoy the wonder- 

 ful beauties of nature in this region. They 

 appeal not only to lovers of science, but to 

 lovers of nature as well, and it would seem 

 that the study of natural history must be 

 stimulated by such surroundings as exist 

 here. So, I say, we are particularly for- 

 tunate in coming to Ithaca and to Cornell 

 University at this time. 



The American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science has had a very useful 

 and honorable history. At the time it was 

 founded and for many years afterward it 

 was possible for a single association to rep- 

 resent in a very definite and concrete way 

 all the existing natural and physical sci- 

 ence in this country. During this period 

 the scientific activities of the "country were 

 represented more adequately and compre- 

 hensively in this association than in any 

 other body. But as time went on, science 

 in its various branches extended and grew, 

 conditions changed, and it became evident 



that it was necessary for the association to 

 adjust itself to those new conditions, the 

 main one being the specialization of scien- 

 tific work. That specialization has been a 

 great instrumentality in the progress of 

 science throughout the world, but never- 

 theless it has certain disadvantages and 

 even dangers of its own. I believe that the 

 highest function of this association is to 

 try to minimize to the greatest possible ex- 

 tent the dangers that may arise from the 

 minute subdivision of scientific research. 

 As its name implies, this association repre- 

 sents a central body for the advancement, 

 and, it may be added, the diffusion and the 

 organization of science in America. It may 

 be at times a little burdensome for active 

 workers in one department of science to 

 feel interested in the central organization, 

 but I conceive it to be their highest duty 

 to do so. They should consider the inter- 

 ests of science as a whole in this country, 

 as well as those of their particular branch 

 of science, for unless the whole tree of sci- 

 ence flourishes the branches will suffer. 



This association represents, as it were, an 

 association of various special scientific so- 

 cieties, perhaps more than an association 

 of various scientific workers. It is neces- 

 sary to have this coordination of societies 

 in order to bring together the great body 

 of scientific workers throughout the coun- 

 try, but in the plan of our organization the 

 affiliated societies in no sense lose their 

 autonomy and it is essential that they, 

 should not. The centers of scientific ac- 

 tivity in this country are not concentrated 

 in a few points, as in most European coun- 

 tries, and it is believed that this plan of 

 organization best meets the special condi- 

 tions of science in America. 



It is very important, under our form of 

 government, that there should be a central 

 authoritative voice which speaks for sci- 

 ence. How many questions there are, as 

 has been suggested by President Schurman, 



